Folding table



E. VIDALY FOLDING TABLE July '7, 1931.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1927 .lllllllxrl l lllllllllllJlnAn I l Il l l l l l l l l I l l I IILIPI lllllllllllrlla/Illllllll dullllilmnl"E. VIDAL FOLDING TABLE Filed Dec.

July 7, 1931.

5, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 llll A15 A further object is to provide animproved .of the top 1 to reinforce and strengthen the y;

2 device provided with improved frame memhinges 7, the legs beingarranged to be folded 45 which .the legs and end .frame members are`"permit the braces to be folded into parallel Patented July 7.1931 j .rv 1,813,3301

A UNITED "STATES PATENToFFiCE EMIL vIDAL, or sAN'rnANciso, oAnironNiAFOLDING TABLE Appiication inea December 3, 1927. serial No. 237,475.k Myinvention relates to improvements in 'Fig. 7 is a bottom plan viewof thetable v folding tables wherein legs and braces are with the topfpanelsextended and the legs and arranged to be folded in parallel relationbraces in folded position; andv against and between foldable top panelsFig. 8 is a bottom view Vof the table with f whereby lthe table may becollapsed to occupy the legs, braces, andl frame members.V extendaminimum' space. ed to operative positions. `The primary object of myinvention is to Referring vvto the drawingsthe numeral 1 provideafoldingtable of improved construcis used to designate in general a; table toption. -formed from aplurality of panels hingedly Another object is toprovide an improved connected along adjacent longitudinal edgesconstruction wherein legs andl braces may be by means of suitable hinges2.' Cleats 3 are readily extended from a foldedV position and securedupon the under sides of the top panels detachably connected in extendedposition to adjacent the ends thereof, and cleats 4 are obtain a rigidand stable table. secured along the outer longitudinal edgesconstruction wherein legs and substantial Vtop. A center cleat 5 issecured transverse braces may. be folded between the folding ly at thecenter ofeach panel; Y Y Y anels of a top to occupy a minimum space.Legs 6 are hingedly secured upon the top- Another iobject is to providean :improved `1 adjacent the corners thereof rby means 'of bers andbraces to obtain increased stability. against the under side of the topand parallel A still further object is to provide animto thelongitudin'l edges thereof.y Longi- 'proved device vof the characterdescribed `tudinal braces 9 are p ivotally mounted upon u which is lightand compact when folded and vthe unde-r side of the center cleats 5 andarwhich will afford a relatively large andrigid rangedto'be extendedoutwardly and down- F5 table surface when extended. ywardlyintodetachable engagement withthe I accomplish these and other objectsbylegs 6.` -1 f v means of thev impro-ved device disclosed in The braces 9are vpreferably slotted at each the drawings forming a part of thepresent end, as at 11, to engagey angle plates 12 upon 30 applicationwherein hk@ Characters of'. refthe cleat 5 and angle plates 13 securedupon 5 9( 'i Verence are used k.to designate similar parts thek legs."The braces are pivotally movable throughout the specification anddrawings, upon suitable -pins extending through theM and in which-` lslotted end of the braces and the angle lplates `Fig. 1 is a sideelevationofmy'improved 12, saidbraces lbeing permanently secured tablein extended position; Y upon the top 1. Cotter pins 1 4, or other suit-Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the'tabie; able detachable Securingmembers; are n- Fig. 3 isatransverse section taken upon Sehed throughOPehlhgS fofmed 1h. the free the une 3-3 Orrig. i in the direction indi-Slotted ends 0f the braces and apertures gated; formed in the angleplates 13 to detachably j y Fier. 4 is an end elevation of the Vtable in'secure the braCeS't-O hhelegs Whh the table in f o1 d ebd position; Yis extended.- VThe braces' are .preferably sef Fia.. 5 is an endelevation with the top pmb cured upon theside .of the` cleat 5 adjacentD f `to the leg to which .the brace 1s secured,V and els extended, andshowing the manner in ,the plates 12 are Offset from each other to@Xhhded t0 Operative-Position; relationextendinfr toward the o e ppositeend Y fF'lg 1S a PlhylVY 0f the tabl@ 1h folde'd ofthe table whenbfoldedwhereby the braces position as shown in Fig. 4, theextendedpgsimay bemade 0f increasedlength, tions of the topiv panels being shownin dottedTransverse braces16 are. pivotally mount- 5 lines; y led upon .the underside of the'top y1 adjacent the ends thereof, said braces beingpreferably secured to the top by means of interlinking eyelets 17adapted to permit a substantially universal pivotal movement of thebrace relative to the top 1. The free end of each brace 16 is slottedand arranged to receive a c otter pin or other detachable securingelement 14', said slotted end and securing member being arranged toengage and detachably secure the brace to an angle plate 15 secured upona leg 6.

vEnd frame members 18 are pivotally mounted as at 19 upon the legs 6upon one side of the table. The members 18 when in folded positionextend longitudinally along `the legs 6 to which they are connected, andare movable with said legs yinto and out of folded relation to the tabletop 1. When extended, the members 18 extend across the ends of the tabletop v1 rand .are engaged and detachably supported upon blocks 2O securedvupon the opposite legs 6.

Hooks 21 are pivotally mounted upon a longitudinal edge of the top 1,said hooks being arranged to engage pins 22 secured in the oppositelongitudinal edge of t-he top 1 when folded as best shown in 6 of thedrawings. lVhen the table is extended, the hooks 21 are moved to engagepins 23 mounted upon the free ends of the frame members 18 to hold thesame in operative position across the ends of the tables as best shownin Figs. 2 and l8 of the drawings. A hook 24 mounted upon one edge ofthetop vis arranged to engage a pin 26 upon the opposite edge when the topis folded.

In operation, the table is folded by removing the detachable securingmembers v14 and 14" Yand folding the legs 6, and braces 9 and 16 intoparallel relation extending longitudinally along the under side of thetable top 1, as shown in Fig. 7, the end frame members 18 ybeing swunginto parallel relation with `the legs to which they are connected. Thelegs 6 and members are folded into axial alinement and substantiallymeet at the transverse center line of the -table top the pins 23 mountedupon the ends of the members 18 kbeing received in notches .27 formedupon theends of the opposite menr bers 18 as shown in Fig. 7. `When thelegs and braces Yhave been thus folded, the `panels of the top 1 arefolded together along their hinged longitudinal edges and secured by thehooks 21 and 24 thereby effectively holdi110' .the table in foldedposition.

'lboextend tlreftable,the legs Glare swung outwardly on theirhinges 7,the members 18 being carried 'with thelegs 6 `to which they .areconnected to the position indicai ed in dotted lines at the right inFig. 5. The members 18 are then swung upon their pivot mountings 19 tothe posit-ion vindicated in full lines in Fig. 5,-the free end of .saidmembers 18 `being received between the table top 1 and mounted upon `theunder .side

the block 20 whereby each end frame member forms a rigid support acrossthe end of the table. The hooks 21 are then moved to engage the pins 22to retain the members 18 in operative position. The braces 9 and 16 arethen swung to engage the angle plates 13 and 15 respectively and thesecuring members 14 and 14 inserted to detachably secure ,the braces tothe legs 6. The braces are made sufficiently long to engage the legs Gat points well spaced from the level of the table, thereby effectivelybracing the extended structure and affording a rigid table.

VvWhen folded, the table occupies but very little space therebypermitting it to be easily packed for .transporting or storage. Thespace between .the folded side panels of the top may be utilized forpacking space if desired.

The specific details of construction may be modified in numerous wayswithout departing from the spirit of my invention. il therefore do notwish to restrict myself V.to the specific details of constructiondisclosed, but desire .to avail myself of all modifications which mayfall within the scope of the .appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and .desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- 1. A folding 4table comprising arectangular top formed from a vplurality ,of foldable .panels hingedlyconnected along adjacent longitudinal ec ges; legs hingedly connected tothe topf; a pair .of longitudinal :braces mounted upon each side ofthetop, and .pivotallyconneetedy at one endof each brace upon the underside of the top adjacentthe center thereof and arranged to incline.outwardly and downwardly into detachable.engagement 1 with the legs,thev braces of .each pair being connected upon opposite sides 'ofthetransverse centerline .of the table topl and being foldable intoinoperative folded positions eX- tending across the centerline -to theendofthe table top lremote from the pivot mounting and overlapping thejpivoted end of the adjacent brace; and transverse braces pivotal-ly ,ofthe top adjacent the ends thereof vand .arranged tto be extended intodetachable engagement with the legs, said longitudinal and transversebraces and ,legs being foldable into substantially parallel relationextending longitudinally against the ,under side of the top and betweenthe panels when folded.

2. A folding table comprising a rectangular top formed f rom a pluralityof foldable panels hingedly connected along adjacent longitudinal edges;legs ,hingedly' connected tothe top; a'pair of longitudinal bracesmounted upon each side of the top and pivotally connected at one end ofeach'brace vupon the under side of the top adj acentthe center thereofand arranged to incline outwardly-vl into detachable engagement with thelegs, the braces of each pair being connected upon opposite sides ofthev transverse centerline ofthe table top and being foldable intoinoperative folded positions extending across the centerline to the endof the table top remote from the pivot mounting and overlapping thepivoted end of the adjacent brace; and transverse braces pivotallymounted upon the under side of the top adjacent the ends thereof andarranged to be extended into detachable engagementy with the legs, saidbraces and legs being foldable into substantially parallel relationextending longitudinally against'the under side of the top and betweenthe panels when folded; and

a rigid one-piece end framel member pivotal-l ly connected at one endthereof t0 one of the legs upon each end of the table and arranged to beextended across the ends of the table into detachable engagement withthe opposite legs, said frame members forming continuous support for theends of the top panels and being movable into parallel relation with thelegs Vfor folding therewith between the panels.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

EMIL VIDAL.

